The Beginning of Something New
by Riido-kun
Summary: [Two years after Calibur Arc] After breaking up with Asuna, Kazuto has a chance to develop a more serious relationship with Shino, but how will the break-up affect the rest of the group? (No major changes in personality for the characters, although there will be slight ones) Please leave a review if you have any suggestions! I'll try to update somewhat regularly. Thanks
1. A Misunderstanding

**A/N:** This chapter is just setting up the beginnings of the plot. Quality of writing is hopefully going to improve with each chapter of the story.

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 _How long has it been now? Two years? It seems that with each passing season, my memories of the relationship I had formed with Asuna while inside the VRMMO death-game "Sword Art Online" grow more and more faint. As my memories of the smaller details continue to dwindle, I find myself wondering if I should be forgetting any of the details of the two nightmarish years I had spent trapped inside SAO. The memories I had created with not just Asuna, who had been my in-game wife, but also with Silica, Lisbeth, Klein and Agil; these memories were all created by Kirito, my avatar from the game. Even after all this time, do they still look at me as…_

"Kazuto," whispered Shino, her breath warm on my ear, "What are you zoning out over this time?"

"O-oh, nothing!" I stuttered, grinning sheepishly as I turned to face the beautiful girl who was cuddled up next to me, "I was just thinking about my time in SAO again."

Shino let out an exasperated sigh, then smiled at me kindly. This wasn't the first time I had been distracted by memories of the game that had consumed two whole years of my life, as part of Akihiko Kayaba's grand design to create a world in which he could play God as its ruler. Still, I felt bad about zoning out whenever I was with Shino. Even though I loved spending time with her, I just couldn't escape that infernal game and the memories from that time.

Brushing her bangs away from her face, I leaned in and playfully kissed her cheek, taking great pleasure in watching her turn a deep shade of scarlet. "You know this is wrong, right?" she said. "If Asuna or the others knew that you were here like this, we would be in so much trouble."

"I know… For now, this sneaking around is all we can do. I hate the idea of lying to everyone but lately, Asuna has been on my case about every little thing. She hates the fact that I make time to come see you, checking to see if you're okay."

"That's not an excuse, Kazuto. This is unfair to me too…" she trailed off.

"I don't know what to do, Shino." I said dolefully, "I love coming to check on you to make sure you're alright – that is, I really like spending time with you, but the pressure that Asuna continues to put on me makes it so hard. I just want to put an end to it before it gets any worse and I have no idea how. She doesn't let me get a word in at all whenever we talk."

Shino smiled, but behind her smile, I could see the pained expression in her eyes. "I think that if you're suffering because of how she's treating you then you have the right to do what makes you happy. If that means breaking up with her, then you'll have to do just that, no matter how it happens."

"I guess you've got a point. I'm also a little worried about how our group is going to take the news. If things end sourly between Asuna and I, I'm sure I'll have to shoulder all the blame."

Looking at my watch, I saw that it was currently 8:30PM. "Damn… I'm going to have explain to Sugu why I'm late again tonight."

"I'll see you out, then," said Shino, a hint of defeat in her voice.

With that, I unwrapped the blanket from around our shoulders and got up from where we were sitting in Shino's apartment. I shuddered as the chill in the room crept back into my body. I looked at Shino again and let a warm smile spread across my face. Wearing a mint-green pullover sweater with a wide neck, it sat evenly on her slender shoulders, showing her blue bra straps underneath. Today, she had also opted for simple blue jeans. As always, she had her bangs tied up on either side of her face with white ribbons, her brown hair cut short on the back. Her half-rimmed, oval shape glasses rounded out her look, adding to her already gorgeous features. I looked away quickly as her chocolate-brown eyes met mine, trying to hide the color that was building in my own face.

"You idiot," she teased, giggling at my embarrassment from being caught staring.

As I slipped into my sneakers and put on my jacket, I turned to say goodbye to Shino before I left for the evening. As I turned, I tripped on my own feet and fell right on top of Shino, my arms on either side of her. Her expression quickly changed to one of shock as we lay there, both in a state of panic. "I-I'm sorry, S-Shino," I stammered.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door behind us. "Shino! Can I come in?" said a voice from outside.

My eyes wide with shock, I realized who the voice belonged to. No doubt, Shino did as well. That voice, on the other side of the door to Shino's apartment, belonged to Asuna.

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 **A/N:** Hopefully you liked this first chapter! The next is currently being developed. I should have that done and published before the end of the week. If I could keep to a schedule of a chapter per week, that would be ideal.

Until next time,

Riido


	2. Revelations

**A/N:** I finished this chapter much quicker than I figured I would, so I hope you enjoy it! It's certainly longer than the last one.

* * *

"I'm coming in, alright?" she said.

I looked down into Shino's eyes and saw the vast horror that surely must have reflected in mine as well. We were in the worst possible position given the impending situation, too horrified to even move. From behind us, the door swung open and my heart sank into the depths of some unknown abyss. "K-K-Kirito?! What are you doing?!" Asuna screamed.

She grabbed my collar and pulled me away from Shino, proceeding to slap me across the face. I looked up at her and watched as tears flowed from her eyes, rolling down her face in utter disbelief. "I can't believe you'd betray me like this!" she yelled. "What the hell happened to all the time we spent together, huh? Don't you love me?"

"Asuna, I can explain!" I said, my fear and nerves causing me to lose my usual calm demeanor. "This is just one big misunder…"

"I don't _care_ what this is!" she screamed, "All I know is that you were just on top of Shino and I doubt that it was an accident! I see the way you look at her when we're all together in ALO, I know that you're always sneaking over here to spend time with her. How do you think that makes me feel?! You lying, cheating bastard!"

For a minute, I just lay there, processing what had just happened; what Asuna had just said. Her words hit me harder than a blow from a mace. After recovering from the initial panic the situation had brought over me, I regained my composure. Looking her dead in the eyes and said, "How _you_ feel? Is that all you care about right now? Aren't you supposed to trust in me, have faith in me as your lover? Have you ever stopped to think about how _I_ feel, even once? All you do is cling to your image of me back in SAO. Even here, in the real world, you still call me Kirito! My name here, in the real world, is Kazuto and I would have thought that, as my girlfriend _in the real world_ , you would call me as such. So how do you think I feel, being known only for an avatar from a game, even now that it's been two years since we were freed from that death game?"

The silence that followed my statement was deafening. Asuna looked at me as though I had run her through with a sword. "I… I didn't know that was how you felt Kiri – I mean Kazuto…" she said, with a look of ultimate defeat settling onto her face. "Why didn't you say anything?"

I wanted to scream at her; unleash all the anger that I had let build up over the past few months as her callous jealousy continued to drive a wedge between us. I just sat there with my back against the wall, looking from Asuna, whose face was contorted in a mixture of anguish and rage; and Shino, whose crestfallen expression left me feeling even more empty than I had felt before. It was my fault we were in this mess, no one else's. A part of me was slightly relieved that Asuna had not given Shino any grief because of this.

Hardening my resolve once more, I looked to Asuna and said, "I think it's time I told what's really been on my mind lately."

Instantly, her expression softened, even taking on a somewhat timid air. "Wh-what do you mean?" she asked, her voice starting to quaver.

"I've noticed over the past few months how you've grown steadily more jealous because of my visits to check in on Shino. You think I _wouldn't_ notice the contempt every time I mentioned that I had been over to make sure she is doing ok? You practically did everything you could to prevent us from hanging out in the virtual world. I'm sick and tired of you not trusting me whenever I'm around any other girl that isn't you."

Whether it had been my intention or not, all the emotions that I had been hiding inside now bubbled to the surface, making Asuna quite aware of where I stood on the situation. With every word - every accusation - the guilt and pain that showed on her face became even more clear than it had before. Finally, I had gotten her see my point of view of her actions, no matter how brutal I had been in my delivery.

"… I see, so that's how you feel…" she murmured, trying to hold back any further tears. "So, what are you trying to say, K-Kazuto?"

"I'm saying that I'm sick and tired of being the bad guy. I'm breaking up with you, Asuna."

Without another word, Asuna turned and exited from where she stood in the doorway. As the sound of her footsteps receded, I heard the faint sound of her failing to hold in her tears any longer. I sat there against the wall of Shino's apartment, numb to my surroundings. Now that Asuna was gone, the gravity of what I had just said; what I had just done, were finally registering in my mind as reality. What I didn't expect was the tears that had formed in my eyes.

For what felt like an eternity, I just stayed where I was on the floor of Shino's apartment, crying from the shock that I felt. I was vaguely aware of Shino repositioning herself so she was next to me, leaning on me in support. Eventually, I turned and let her cradle me in her arms. I can't remember how long we stayed where we were, me sobbing like a child as she held me in her arms. She had such a gentle touch as she tried to comfort me. She held my head against her chest and stroked my hair; all I remember was thinking of how warm I felt in her arms.

* * *

The next thing I remember was waking up the next morning. As I struggled my way back to consciousness, I became vaguely aware of the heat that was radiating against my chest. Forcing my eyes open, I realized where that heat was coming from long before I had adjusted to the light: Sound asleep next to me was Shino. At first, I was extremely confused about where I was and how I got here. Slowly, I started to remember what had happened the night before. Getting ready to leave for home, Asuna showing up at Shino's apartment… Asuna. All the dread of the night before came rushing back in as I remembered that I had broken up with Asuna last night. After I had cried myself to sleep, Shino must have carried me to her bed and after tucking me in, fallen asleep next to me.

Having suffered the preliminary shock of what breaking up with Asuna meant, my mind now shifted to what would happen next. This wasn't something that would affect just the two of us. No, it would affect our entire group. Ryoutarou, Rika, Keiko, Andrew and Sugu would all find out soon that I had severed my bond with Asuna. _What would this mean for all of us as a group? What did the future at school, or at Agil's café hold? Mine and Asuna's relationship had always been a part of what held our group together. We were all friends with each other, so the idea of our separation meant that the possibility of a division in the group was real and most certainly not out of the question._

Frustrated by all of the potential backlash that I could face in the next few days, I gave up on any further thought for now. I put my arm around Shino and cuddled up next to her and fell back asleep, since the light filtering in from outside was dim and it looked like the sun would not be up for a few hours. As though reacting to my touch, Shino moved in even closer, until she was practically on top of me. Finding comfort in the warmth of her touch, I quickly faded from consciousness again. If only for a few hours, I pushed the thoughts of Asuna and everyone else to the back of my mind, graciously finding solace in lying here next to Shino.

* * *

 **A/N:** I would like to be able to say that this pace will set an example for future chapter updates, but alas that probably won't be the case. I'm about to start writing exams soon, so this might be the last update until they are over. Nevertheless, I will try and make a push to get chapter 3 out before then. If not, it will be posted in the next 1.5-2 weeks.

Until next time,

Riido


	3. In the Wake of a Tragedy

**A/N:** Hey all! I honestly didn't anticipate finishing this chapter as quickly as I did. I had a lot of work come up at the last minute and as a result, my writing suffered many setbacks. Nonetheless, I finished it. The first thing you'll notice is that it is more than twice as long as the last chapter. I feel that from here on out, the longer chapters will be the norm, what do you guys think? Let me know somehow, since you're the audience that continues to read this ever-developing story.

Sorry for the long author's note, now: I hope you enjoy the latest development of TBoSN.

* * *

"K-Kazuto! Wake up!"

"… Huh? What's going on?" I said, still half asleep.

"How did we end up in bed together like this?!" Shino cried.

As my senses reawakened, I noticed the familiar warmth that had helped me fall back asleep just a few hours prior. Opening my eyes, I saw a rather startled Shino, who was still cuddled into my chest. "Wh-why are we cuddled so close to each other here in my bed?" she asked again, blushing furiously.

"I woke up earlier this morning and didn't want to wake you," I explained. "Before I could fall asleep again you moved in your sleep until you were cuddled right up next to me, so I just put my arm around you. Now, we're here."

Although it was admittedly cute how flustered she was over the situation, I couldn't very well tell her as such, given what had happened with Asuna last night. I just smiled at her and ran my hand through her already messy bedhead. She tried to bat my hand away in protest, then seemed to remember she was more embarrassed about our sleeping arrangement then her hair. Deciding that I'd made her suffer enough from my teasing, I took my arm from around her so she could get up.

"I swear… Sometimes, you're such an idiot," she said as she walked towards the kitchen.

"Umm… I'm… sorry about last night. I mean… about the whole Asuna incident," I said, finding the words difficult to utter.

Standing in the kitchen, Shino looked directly at me, sympathy in her beautiful onyx-colored eyes. "We can talk about it later," she said softly, trying her best to smile. "The way she handled that was irrational if you ask me and you were better off seeing this side of her now, rather than many years down the road… I'm just glad that I was able to help you when it was all said and done."

"Yeah… umm… thanks for that by the way. I really appreciate it," I replied, almost feeling guilty for everything that she had to endure last night, all because of me.

Thinking about last night left me with an empty feeling inside. It had all happened so fast and looking back, I know some of the things I had said were definitely out of line. That being said, it was all the truth and even though I could have probably been more gentle in my delivery, I got across exactly how I felt. Although I should have been completely torn up emotionally from losing my partner and lover of more than four years – that is, counting the time from SAO – I oddly felt more relief than I did agony. More than agony, I felt an emptiness in the wake of our relationship's termination. We had shared many great memories, but the pain and suffering I had endured these last few months due to Asuna's unnecessary jealousy had grown to the point where I wasn't the only one who had noticed. It had become obvious to our friends as well, although I wouldn't have noticed that bit at all if Rika hadn't filled me in.

 _The last time I had met up with Rika, alone in the real world, it had been two months prior to the present day. She had asked me if there had been something going on between Shino and I. Confused, I had asked her why, to which she replied by saying that she could tell that Asuna's jealousy was becoming uncomfortable for the rest of the group; I wasn't the only one who felt the effects of Asuna's feelings of betrayal. Not knowing what to say at the time, I told Rika that I would talk to my girlfriend so this mess would be settled and there would be no more issues._

 _That evening when I called Asuna, I had asked her about how she saw my friendship with Shino. Instead of telling me directly what was wrong, she asked me if I was sure I knew where my loyalties were. My response was simple: My loyalty was to the love of my life; to Asuna Yuuki, the girl that I would give my all to protect. Her only response was a shrug and warning: not to spend so much time with Asada-san, stating that I shouldn't be so invested in her safety and to focus on the girl I loved._

 _This was the first time that I had began to see how my interactions with my best friend were infuriating my girlfriend. After that, I had tried to scale back the amount of time I would spend checking in on Shino. For a while, that was enough to satisfy Asuna however, the temporary peace it had created would not last for long. With each passing week, she would become increasing angry anytime I would even bring up the idea of including our friend, Sinon, the blue-haired Cait Sith archer. It was as if she was hell-bent and obsessed on distancing me from Sinon in the game world; and from Asada-san in the real world. It was this specific detail that had caused me to start sneaking over to visit Shino. If Asuna were to figure out that I had been visiting her every few days, she would have been furious. Now, it didn't really matter anymore. It was no longer any of her business what I did. I doubt she would want anything to do with me after what she thought she saw last night and after the things that I said._

"KA-ZU-TO! Do you want food or not?!" Shino yelled.

Startled by the sheer volume of her voice, I realized that I had totally spaced out again. "Y-yes please!" I managed, afraid she would throw something at me for not paying attention… again.

"God… it's the same thing with you every time…" she sighed. "What do you want to eat?"

"Anything is cool with me, I don't want you to go out of your way to make something special just for me," I replied.

"No, it's fine. I don't mind, really. I want to help distract you from all the unpleasantness of last night."

"Well, if you're sure, could you make a Western-style breakfast? Eggs, toast, sausage or bacon, and coffee?" I asked.

"Jeez… you could have just said that to begin with," she replied. "It'll take some time to cook so until it's ready, you can stay in bed if you want."

"Actually, would you mind if I used your shower and get freshened up before we eat?" I requested.

"Sure, you know where the towels are, right? Go ahead, just try not to take too long, okay?"

"Got it."

Getting up from where I had been lying in her bed, I felt the tension creep into my muscles after sleeping for so long last night. I stretched, feeling good as the tension melted away, except for in one part of my back. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't wring it out.

"Go take your shower, silly," Shino teased. "At this rate, your breakfast will be cold by the time you get out. When we've cleaned up the dishes, I'll help you with the knot in your back."

Surprised by her offer, I nodded and headed over to her bathroom when a thought occurred.

"Umm… what do I do about…" I began.

"Oh, that's right," she replied, cutting me off mid-sentence. "I called Suguha after I first brought you over to the bed last night. I had her bring over a change of clothes. I told her I'd watch over you for the night. So… I kinda had to tell her that you and Asuna… y'know… broke up…"

"Oh…" I murmured, looking down at the floor. "Did she say anything about it?"

"If it makes you feel any better, she wasn't overly surprised about it," she said, carefully choosing her words for my sake. "She had a suspicion that something of the sort was coming in the near future, but she still sounded like she felt sorry for you. You'll probably have some explaining to do when you go home."

The usually timid girl looked at me through sympathetic eyes as I struggled with the turmoil I felt inside. It was as if she had known that this would have been the outcome of breaking up with Asuna, regardless of how it happened. The way that it came about certainly was not ideal, however. It was bad enough that it unfolded in front of another person; worse again, in front of Shino. It must have been incredibly awkward to just sit there, watching as the altercation developed further and further, reaching an ugly climax before ending abruptly, leaving both parties distraught. We forced her to stand by as the end of our already broken relationship played out before her eyes.

Grabbing the bag that Sugu had left for me, I headed back to the bathroom. I was thankful for the thoughtfulness of Shino's actions. Not only had she comforted me last night after Asuna stormed out of the apartment, she had taken it upon herself to make sure that my family wouldn't worry about where I was. I couldn't possibly repay her after all of that, which made me feel a twinge of guilt at the thought of the girl who had just volunteered to cook breakfast for the two of us.

"I promise, I'll be ten minutes, tops!" I shouted from down the hall.

Closing the door behind me, I sighed. Setting my bag down, I approached the shower and set about preparing the water temperature. As I removed my shirt, my stomach growled vehemently. Now, more than ever, I was looking forward to having breakfast with Shino. It would likely be the last peaceful part of my day. When I go home, I'll have no choice but to face the issue-at-hand. The weight of what I'd have to do loomed over me like a curtain of darkness, threatening to swallow me up.

* * *

"Kazuto, hurry up! The food is ready!"

At the sound of the word 'food,' my senses went berserk. All other thoughts faded into the background as images of bacon and eggs flooded the theatre of my mind. My mouth began to water uncontrollably at the thought of a real, Western-style breakfast. Quickly, I dried myself off and threw on my clothes, rushing out of the bathroom in what I'd consider record time. As I half-ran into the kitchen, I caught a glimpse of my generous host, who rolled her eyes at the sight of me.

"Jeez… It's always the same thing with you," she sighed. "One mention of food and you drop everything and come running."

Dropping the act, she smiled warmly and invited me to the table.

"Thank you for the food," we said, in unison.

"Shino," I said, my voice wavering as I was overcome with absolute delight, "Everything about this meal looks and smells like heaven on Earth."

Another eye roll, another sigh. "Better eat up or it'll be too cold to talk about."

"Y-yes, ma'am."

Dutifully, I dug into my meal. Bacon, eggs, two slices of white bread, toasted with butter, and a cup of coffee. No matter how many times I had this, I always get weak in the knees at the mention of this particular breakfast option. Slowing down enough to really enjoy the food, I looked across the table at the master chef who prepared this fine meal.

I finally noticed that she hadn't tied up her bangs yet today. She still hadn't changed out of her pyjamas either; a simple pair of grey shorts and a white shirt that hung off her slender frame. She had opted to not wear her glasses this morning as well. Of course, she didn't need them. Her vision was 20/10, which was twice the visual prowess that a person with 20/20 vision possessed. That is, she could see at 20 feet what a regular person could see at 10 feet with the same clarity. Her glasses were cosmetic and offered her a sense of security from an event from her past.

In the sunlight that shone through the window, her pale skin seemed to shimmer as the light reflected off it. Even though her look was so simple and plain, it was remarkably beautiful in its own way. _Had I ever sat back and thought these things about Asuna, even once, in the four years that we had been together?_

"Done checking me out yet?" she barked impatiently.

Quickly, I looked away. My face felt like it was burning with embarrassment. I had completely spaced out while I was looking at her and now I would likely pay the price.

"…Idiot," she muttered under her breath.

"…Sorry," I mumbled, refusing to look her in the eye.

"Better be. Next time I catch you sneaking a look at me, I'll make you regret it, you perv."

"Hey! I'm not a perv, I was just admiring…" I faltered, realizing that I was only further incriminating myself.

"What's that?" she asked, "I didn't quite catch that last bit."

"I-I was just admiring how nice you looked this morning…" I whispered, trying not to make the situation any worse.

"Come again, Kazuto?"

At this point, she was just toying with me, I'm sure of it. "I said I was thinking that you looked really nice this morning!" I blurted out, instantly regretting ever saying anything. My eyes bulged as I covered my mouth with both hands in horror.

Now, it was Shino's turn to blush brighter than a tomato. "D-don't go saying things like that, you dummy," she murmured.

"I-I'm sorry," I said, hoping to ease the new-found tension in the room.

"I-it's fine!" she stammered. "Just hurry up and eat. You have to go home to your family at some point, you know."

"…Right, I know."

We sat through the rest of breakfast in silence, trying to avoid eye contact. The thought of going home made my insides churn. It was the thing I was least looking forward to. I really didn't want to say anything about last night just yet. It still felt too soon to talk about it with anyone else. Even though it was what I wanted, it hurt to lose such a long-term relationship. To see it come to an end the way that it did redefined the word unpleasant.

Wanting to escape the awkward silence that had befallen us, I scarfed down the rest of my breakfast. Excusing myself, I brought my plate over to the kitchen sink, then walked back over to Shino's bed and grabbed my watch and cell phone from the small bed-side table. Slipping it comfortably onto my wrist, I checked the date and time: Sunday, December 20, 2026; 10:30AM. By now, my family was probably in the middle of breakfast. If I left now, I would likely arrive around the same time that they would be finished cleaning the dishes.

"I'm gonna get ready and head home now, okay?"

"Not so fast, mister," Shino replied as she got up from the table. "I believe I said I'd help you with that knot in your back. Are you seriously gonna leave without sorting that out?"

"Oh, well I guess it's fine now, there's no need for you to…" I began.

"Off with the shirt, Kirigaya," she ordered.

Startled by how forceful her tone was, I started to take off my shirt, instantly feeling really self-conscious. As if sensing my unease, Shino decided to have fun torturing me further. "Oh, come on, you baby. Are you afraid to take your shirt off in front of me?"

Feeling the crimson color crawl back into my cheeks, I turned away from her and took my shirt off, not wanting her to see how red my face was becoming. No sooner had I let my shirt fall to the floor, I felt her arms wrap around my torso, feeling up my slightly chiseled form.

"SHINO! What are you doing?!" I cried out, feeling incredibly uncomfortable with the situation that she had sprung on me.

Snickering, she kicked my feet out from beneath me and I fell, face-down, onto the bed. To make the situation even worse, I felt the breath leave my lungs as the weight of my unlikely assailant planted itself on the lower half of my back.

"Shino!" I protested, struggling to throw her from her position on top of me.

"Oh, no. You stay right there, you little booby freak. This is payback for perving on me at breakfast."

Miserable, I accepted my fate and stopped trying to fight her off, knowing it would be impossible. She knew I would resist if she tried something like this, so she strategically pinned both of my arms with her legs. I was helpless, at the mercy of the girl sat comfortably on top of me.

"So, where does it hurt?" she asked, enjoying every second of her domination over me.

Giving in, I replied, "Around halfway down my back, to the right of my spine… o-oh right there, yes."

I hated to admit it, but I was sent into an extreme state of euphoria the second she dug into the large knot in my back. The relief that it gave me was beyond a description through words. It was amazing to have the tension kneaded out of the muscles.

"Does it feel good, Kazuto?" Shino asked, a hint of a sneer in her voice.

"Don't get the wrong idea," I replied, "It feels really good, but I don't like the way you went about this."

"Aww, I thought you'd like it if I played the bad guy for once," she pouted. "Didn't you and Asuna do anything… explicit? You were together for like four years."

"… W-well, no. We didn't. She said she wanted to save herself for marriage, so I never bothered her on the subject. Never once did we go further than kissing." I admitted, deciding it would be best to be honest. There was no reason to hide it from Shino; I trusted her with information that I wouldn't have even gone to Asuna to seek help with.

"O-oh… Well then… I can stop if you don't like it," she muttered shyly.

Seizing the momentary falter in her hold on me, I turned over onto my back quickly and grabbed her waist, pulling her down on top of my chest.

"Kazuto! W-what's gotten into you all of a sudden?" she sputtered, her face turning the same scarlet color mine had mere moments ago.

Slyly, I whispered into her ear, "I thought you liked it when I played the bad guy, or did I get that wrong?"

Letting go of my hold on her, I expected her to get up off me, thus letting me get ready to leave. Instead, she wrapped her arms around my neck, letting her head rest on my chest. Still somewhat uncomfortable with the current situation, I shifted ever-so-slightly. I stroked her hair with one hand, wrapping my other arm around her, trying to make our arrangement a little less awkward. In reaction, the attractive girl who was currently using me as her pillow settled in, and not long afterwards, I felt her chest rise and fall steadily; she had fallen asleep on top of me.

"You idiot…" I whispered, kissing her forehead, "How am I supposed to go home when you're asleep like that?"

Smiling, I closed my eyes and slowly, I drifted off as I paid attention to the rhythm of Shino's steady breathing.

* * *

"Well, I'm off now! I'll let you know how everything goes later this evening," I said as I walked out into the crisp, December air.

"Mm, sounds good," Shino replied. If you need anything at all, please give me a call. I'm more than willing to help you in any way that I can."

"Thanks again, for everything. Seriously, I owe you so much for what you've done."

"Don't mention it, let's not forget what you've done to help me lessen the effects of my trauma," she countered.

"I was just supporting a friend who needed some help, that's all. Anyways, I'm definitely gonna need some time to fully get over this emptiness that I feel inside, but I thank you for all of your efforts to keep my mind off the subject."

"Get going, you super stud, I'll talk to you later," she teased.

"Right. See ya," I said as I walked away, a faint trace of a smile toying at the corners of my mouth.

As I pulled my bike out of the storage area, I noticed that the sensation I had felt earlier had developed into a full-blown smile. From the moment I kicked off, right up until I reached the Kirigaya residence in Kawagoe, that smile remained on my face, not once faltering.

* * *

 **A/N:** Unlike last week, I can say with absolute certainty that there wont be another update until at least the 17-20th, for I'll be writing exams until the 15th. For those of you who are following the updates, I thank you for the support.

Until next time,

Riido


	4. Coming to Terms

**A/N :** _**So, almost 9 months after the promised date, I present to you, Chapter 4. Honestly, I have no excuse for this one, other than life. From December of last year until just recently, I had no time to sit down and really write a chapter that would do this story justice. It was an important moment in the story, and I wanted to write a chapter that I could be proud of, and something that all of you (If you're still here to read it now) would enjoy and approve of. Without further ado, Coming to Terms.**_

It wasn't long after I had reached my home that the snow began to fall softly down to Earth. It was so strange; it was a particularly cold year and although in more recent times we have seen snow in the winter, it was never this early. I looked up as I walked towards the entrance of my home. Reaching out to nothing in particular, I felt the cool sensation as the snow connected with my fingertips, immediately melting on contact. I noted the condensation that formed every time that I exhaled and smiled wryly. Even though it would be a bother should the temperature drop much lower, I certainly didn't mind the snow. I loved the way that it covered the Earth in a pure, white blanket.

Lost in thought, I didn't notice that I had stopped in front of the doorway, admiring the snow as it fell all around me. I knew that I was super late, considering that it was currently 9:03PM and I was supposed to have come home earlier _this morning_. As I thought about the onset of winter and what the near-future held in store for me, I was pulled back to reality as the door was forcefully yanked open from the inside.

"Onii-chan!" a familiar voice shouted, making no effort to hide the annoyance in her voice.

"H-hey, Sugu," I replied, shocked by her tone.

"Why are you so late?!" she asked, clearly not giving me an easy time for being late. "Shino said you'd be coming home once you woke up, so where have you been?"

"I-I… umm… well, you see…" I stammered, unable to form coherent thoughts.

"Jeez, come inside, you big dork. It's _freezing_ out here!"

Without wasting any time, my sister hustled me in through the door; in out of the cold. Although I was still slightly in shock over the explosive nature of my welcome, I made no complaint as I felt the warmth of my home wash over me. I was gracious to feel my hands and face burn as they adjusted to the heat.

"Mom and Dad are out right now, but I made sure to save you some dinner. You and I need to have a talk about why you never came home last night, onii-chan."

"O-oh, right. Yeah, we do," I said, trying not to sound to downcast about it.

Of course, Shino had told Sugu the basics of what happened last night between Asuna and I. What I didn't know was the depth of which she had explained the situation, so before I could find a place to begin, I'd have to find out where her understanding of the situation ended.

I sat down to the table and got comfortable while my sister got my dinner from the fridge and got it ready to heat up.

"I-I'm sorry… you know, for making things complicated within our group," I began, "This has been something that I had been trying to do for a little while now. Asuna would just never give me the chance to say anything."

I couldn't see the look on Suguha's face since she was back-on to me, but I noticed how her shoulders slumped ever-so-slightly after I had finished my confession. I anxiously waited for her to say something – anything to break the incredibly awkward silence that was forming between us. In light of what happened with Asuna, I knew that tension was inevitable, however there was no way to prepare myself for how Sugu would react herself. Silently, I prayed that she wouldn't be upset with me. It was bad enough that Asuna was as angry as she was due to our current circumstances. I didn't need the rest of the group to think badly of me as well.

Finally, my sister reacted to what I had said a minute ago.

"If you're worried about me being upset or angry with you, then stop," she said. "It was a choice you had to make. One way or another, we all figured that this would happen. If I know any better, Shino has probably said something like this to you already, but you don't have to worry about our group's reactions either. They all knew that you were suffering because of Asuna and no matter what, they will most likely support you."

I let out a sigh, releasing some of the tension in my shoulders. I was worried about the wrong things, it seemed. Instead of worrying about the rest of our friends, I should be concerned over how Asuna will react in the future and what our break-up will mean for the group's activities and her involvement in them. Even after Sugu confirmed what Shino had said earlier this morning, I still had my doubts. There was something about the situation that was tugging at the back of my mind. _What if it's_ me _that they decide to throw out of the group and not Asuna? What if nothing changes and she tries to act like our break-up hadn't happened at all? Will it create a division amongst our friends?_

Although I knew it was selfish to think this way, I couldn't help it. The friends that I had made over the past few years had become invaluable to me. I loved each and every one of them and to consider having to leave them behind made my insides churn.

"You're not off the hook on being late either," Suguha huffed, taking a seat across from me. "You still have lots to explain!"

She placed my food in front of me, along with a pair of chopsticks. "R-right…" I murmured. "Where to start… What has Shino told you?"

With a puzzled look on her face, Sugu gave my question a moment of consideration before answering. "Well… really, only the basics. She told me what happened but she didn't give me any details. She said it would be better for you to explain it, onii-chan; it wasn't her place to say."

I smiled wryly at the way Shino handled the situation. "Let's start here, then. You remember when I left yesterday afternoon to check in on Shino, right?"

After Suguha nodded, I continued. "When I was getting ready to leave, I turned to say goodbye to Shino, but I tripped and ended up on top of her. It wouldn't have been a big deal; it was purely an accident. It should have blown over after we got back up and I gave her an apology, but that wasn't how it played out. As luck would have it, Asuna conveniently showed up just as this little accident occurred. When she barged in through the door, she made a big deal out of it without giving either of us a chance to explain the situation to her. Instead, she attacked me in the usual way that she does whenever something that involves Shino happens. This finally gave me an opening to get everything that I had kept built up inside out in the open. I was furious and handled the way I phrased things very poorly. In the end, I broke up with Asuna and she ran out of Shino's apartment before she started crying. Meanwhile, Shino was right there as all of this was happening."

My sister sat there in stunned silence, no doubt trying to process my story before asking any additional questions. I tried to peer into her eyes for some indication of what she was feeling, but she refused to meet my gaze until she had collected her thoughts on my recount of last night's events. When she finally looked up, sympathy was written plainly all over her face. Her usual bright smile was replaced by an expression that could be described as something between reassurance and pity.

"Kazuto… I… I don't know what to say…" she stammered. "I-I had no idea… When Shino told me that you broke up with Asuna, I knew it would be hard for you, but I never imagined anything like that had happened."

"In all honesty, it should hurt more than it does," I replied, trying to sound less melancholic than I felt. "It should be tearing me up, having cut things off with the girl who had been my partner for over 4 years, but mixed in with the grief is a small degree of elation as well. It's going to be hard to be happy for a little while, but this suffering that I feel will eventually fade away and when it's gone, I might be able to find some semblance of happiness again."

"How are you going to tell the others about what happened?" Sugu asked. "They'll find out eventually, you know. I'd say Rika already knows."

"I'm going to send out a message to the group, asking to meet in ALO in half an hour. I'll tell them all together in the cabin."

"Alright. I'll let you take care of that then, since it's not my story to tell either. Are you going to be okay, onii-chan?"

"Right now, it's tough but, soon I'll be back to my usual self. Don't worry Sugu," I replied, smiling with all the sincerity that I could muster.

Satisfied, Suguha got up from the table and went upstairs. Left to my own devices again, I let my mind wander as I finished my dinner. _When we all get together and I tell them, how will they react? Does Rika already know because her and Asuna are still good friends? Can we maintain a semblance of civil behaviour after everyone knows that a major part of the dynamic in our friendship has been shattered?_

Finishing the last bite of my meal, I realized I was so caught up in telling Sugu about what happened, and then in my own thoughts that I hadn't even noticed what I had been eating for dinner. Sighing, I got up and brought my dishes into the kitchen. Quickly, I washed them and put them away, then proceeded to first call Shino. I thought it would be a good idea to let her know what my plan was first, since she was usually quite perceptive and had a knack for knowing how to properly approach a delicate situation like this one. Sighing once more, I left the kitchen and headed towards my room.

* * *

"… So, you're going to tell everyone at the same time and you wanted to run it by me to get my opinion, is that right?"

I looked at Shino through the screen and replied, "Yeah, that's about right. What do you think?"

"Well… it's a good plan. That is, I don't see any immediate flaws in it."

She gave me a quizzical look and asked, "Do you think that everyone will be available tonight?"

Furrowing my brow, I gave the question some thought. Looking back to Shino, I replied, "It's a longshot to hope they're all free right now, but if I don't tell them before the break begins, then I don't know when I'll get the chance, you know, since everyone usually spends Christmas with their families."

"You'd better hurry then, before it's too late," Shino commented, smiling as she said it. "The sooner they know, the sooner the healing can begin.

I smiled back and agreed, even though I still had my doubts about how it would all go down. Saying goodbye, I ended our video call and started contacting the others, one by one. The darkness in my heart only continued to grow stronger and stronger as my doubts and fears took control of my every thought. The closer the time for my confession drew near, the more it weighed down on me.

* * *

"… Link Start!"

I shouted the activation command for the AmuSphere and with that, I was whisked away from reality and brought into the virtual world of ALfheim Online as the device transferred all the signals from my brain to the device itself, rather than my body. In an instant, the familiar scenery of the cabin that I owned with Asuna came into view. I was now Kirito, the spriggan, once again. I got up from where I had lay down before logging out the last time that I had been online. Looking around the cabin, it brought me many mixed emotions. Here, many great memories had been made, dating all the way back to when Asuna and I had originally bought this place and deemed it our humble home on the 22nd floor of Aincrad. Since the introduction of New Aincrad within ALO, we had made it a priority to reach the 22nd floor and re-buy this cabin. It now served as our group's meeting place and was also a home-of-sorts for all of us.

I had been relieved when I had gotten everyone to agree to meet here. That was half the battle, really. Now it was only a matter of letting them in on what happened last night. Taking a deep breath, I started towards the living room. My mind was moving at a million miles an hour and I was feeling rather nervous about what was about to transpire. When I stepped forth in the cozy living room, I was slightly relieved that no one else was here yet. I looked around the empty room, currently bathed in the soft glow of artificial moonlight. The lights were turned off and the fire hadn't been lit yet, either.

I left the lights off, finding comfort in the eerie half-darkness. I went over to the fire and gave the command to light it. I watched as it crackled to life, adding more light to the room, a warm orange glow that contrasted with the pale light of the moon.

I stepped outside onto the deck on the front of the cabin. I shivered slightly as I left the regulated temperature inside the cabin. Of course, the seasons in the game mirrored those of the real world, and since it was December, the air was crisp and cool. Every time I logged in, I always felt the same sense of awe at how realistic this virtual world could feel.

"Good evening, Daddy!" came the soft voice of Yui, mine and Asuna's in-game daughter. In technicality, she was an AI – or artificial intelligence – pixie whose data I had preserved and transferred from SAO to ALO.

"Hi, Yui," I said as she landed on my shoulder.

I knew that this could be the most problematic part of my break up with Asuna. How would we tell Yui? Would she be upset that her Mommy and Daddy weren't going to be together anymore?

"Is there something wrong, Daddy? You seem distracted tonight."

"W-well, yeah. There's something I have to tell you and the others, Yui. It can wait until everyone else gets here."

"It must be very important, to play on your mind as much as it is."

"Mm."

It wasn't long before the others began to log in. As each member of our group logged in, we greeted each other, making small talk; attempting to relieve the obvious tension in the air. The last to log in was Lisbeth, and soon after she did, we began.

"So, tell us Kirito. What's so important that we all had to log in like this?" Asked Klein.

Gulping back the last of my doubts, I looked around the room at everyone here.

"In the last 24 hours, there has been a major development, one that I believe that you should all know about before the holidays."

As a look of confusion settled onto my friends' faces, I continued. "As of last night, Asuna and I have broken up, and the way it happened was rather harsh."

I paused, letting that sink into everyone's minds. It wasn't me who next broke the silence, but instead, it was Rika. "Look, I think I have a pretty one-sided idea of what happened, but would you mind filling us in on your side of the story? Asuna told myself and Keiko the story late last night, but I'd like to hear from you what happened."

"Well, I was over to Shino's place last night, just hanging out. I didn't tell Asuna about it because lately, she would freak out whenever I even brought up Shino's name, let alone about visiting her. So, as I was getting ready to leave her place last night, I tripped going towards the door and ended up on top of her. For whatever reason, Asuna was at the door at that precise moment. She walked in and saw us and assumed the worst. We ended up having a bad argument and it resulted in me finally finding the courage to end things between us, because I've been unhappy for a while now."

Once again, no one said anything for a while. The silence loomed over us for what felt like an eternity. At last, Agil spoke up. "Damn… that's rough man… We only saw a part of what was going on with you and Asuna, but this behind the scenes stuff is far worse."

"Yeah, well that's it, I guess. It's all over now. I just hope that this won't cause any sort of division amongst our group," I admitted.

"To tell you the truth, Kirito, your version of the story makes a lot more sense, given what we know about you," Keiko replied. "When Asuna called us last night, crying about what happened, she said that she caught you cheating on her with Asada-san. When she walked in on you, she said you yelled at her and passed your relationship off as a nothing more than a whim, and then you broke up with her. That just didn't sit right with us, so Rika and I tried to calm her down, and we agreed after that we would wait until we heard what you had to say before passing any sort of judgement."

I looked from Keiko to Rika, receiving a nod of agreement from her. The incredible knot that had formed in my stomach after I logged in was beginning to fade now that I had heard their response. Letting out a deep sigh, I looked around the group once again and managed a weak smile.

"My question now…" I began, "is..."

"You have nothing to worry about man, we wouldn't leave you in the dust just because you and Asuna aren't a thing anymore," Klein said, his enthusiasm as potent as ever.

Another look around the room, another round of head nods and smiles.

"Thanks, everyone. Don't get the wrong idea though. I don't want this to turn you away from your friendships with Asuna. That's not what this is, I just didn't want to leave it until after break ended."

"We get you, buddy," Agil replied. "With that being said, come by the café tomorrow. I got a gift for you, since it's the holidays and all."

"Thanks, Agil." I said, appreciation clear in my voice.

With that, I got up and bowed to all of my friends. "Merry Christmas, everyone. Have a great holiday with your families."

As the others logged out one by one, I went into the bedroom, getting ready to log out myself. Just before I hit the button that would transfer me back to my body in the real world, I felt a pair of arms wrap themselves tightly around my torso. I smiled vainly and dispersed my menu.

"C'mon Shino, now who's being too forward?" I teased.

"You idiot, you really need to work on your people skills," she countered, the same teasing tone in her voice that I had used. "After you visit the café tomorrow, come visit me too, okay?"

"You're not coming with me to see Agil?" I asked.

"Wha… well I didn't think you would want to spend much time with me in public right now," she muttered.

"Well, I do. So, will you?"

"O-okay, I will," she replied. "Call me tomorrow morning with details?"

"Sounds good. Goodnight, Shino."

"G-goodnight, Kazuto. See you tomorrow."

"Mm."

As she unwrapped her arms from around me, I heard the familiar chime of the system menu opening. Another chime, and her presence had vanished entirely. Now, aware that I was still not alone, I turned around to see Yui, not in her usual pixie form, but as a little girl, just as we had found her in SAO. I smiled sympathetically as I knelt down to meet her at eye level. What she said surprised me, more than anything.

"Don't be sad, Daddy. You will always be my papa, and Asuna will always be my mama. Just because you aren't together anymore doesn't mean we can't still be a family."

"So, you're not upset about this, Yui?" I asked.

"No, I'm not. I had predicted something like this would happen eventually. I've been monitoring you and Mommy for quite some time now, and I knew that your relationship was slowly deteriorating."

"Oh… so you saw this coming, huh? You're always so perceptive Yui, I don't know why it surprises me, given that you're an AI counselling program."

"That's right, but let me ask you one thing. Do you love Auntie Sinon?"  
Taken aback, I hesitated a moment before hardening my expression. "Yes, I do. I care a lot for Sinon in this world, and Shino in the real world. While things with Asuna continued to get worse and worse, she comforted me through it all. I can't ever hope to repay her for everything she has done for me."

"I thought so. I hope that you can find and preserve happiness with her, and try not to let it fall down the same path that it did for you and Mommy."

"Thank you, Yui." I leaned in and kissed Yui on the forehead, then said goodnight as I prepared to log out.

As I faded from the virtual world, the last image that entered my brain was Yui, smiling brightly as I passed from this world to the real one outside of the ALfheim.

 **A/N** **: _So, thank you for reading yet another installment of this ever growing story. I won't make any promises this time, since we all know how that went the last time. All I will say is this: I'll try to be a little more active than 9 months between releases._**

 ** _Thank you for your continued support, you're all wonderful (^-^)_**

 ** _Riido_**


	5. The Gift - Part I -

**A/N:** Well, I guess I'm late again... Sorry everyone for the wait, but here is a short offering. I've been kept so busy with studies to the point where finding time to sit down and write has been difficult... Anyways, as the title implies, the chapter ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and there will at some point - hopefully in the near future - be a second part to the events of below. It's a little shorter than the last couple of chapters, but I didn't want another nine months to pass before I could put something out. So, hopefully this is better than nothing. I'll cut it here, so please enjoy the latest development in The Gift!

* * *

The cold air of December gripped the exposed flesh of my hands, leaving me chilled right to the bone. I rubbed them together in a vain attempt to regain some of the feeling that the cold had stolen. Grumbling, I continued walking. I couldn't wait to reach Agil's shop. The cozy little café in the Taito ward was a safe-haven of sorts for the survivors of the SAO incident. It had always belonged to Agil – or in the real world, Andrew – and while he had been trapped within the game of death, his wife had dutifully kept it alive and running in her husband's unfortunate absence. Right now, however, it was a warm alternative to the brisk temperatures of the outside world.

I had racked my brain all night as to what Agil had for me when I got there. _What could he have possibly gotten for me? It's not like I had asked for, or even hinted at anything that would inspire him to buy me a gift… unless it's something that he had done out of the kindness of his heart. Oh well,_ I thought, _guess I'll figure it out soon enough._

As per usual, I didn't realize that I had arrived at the café until I was standing right outside the door. Impatiently, I entered into the place of warmth, the heat inviting me to buy a coffee and have a seat at one of the bar stools. Although this was a café, Agil ran it as a bar by night, attracting a generous amount of business – a stark contrast to the empty café I had just entered.

"Kazuto! Good to see you, man. Here by yourself today?"

I looked up to see Agil, his face beaming as he greeted me.

"Hey man, I'm supposed to be meeting Shino here, so she'll be here shortly, I hope."

"I see," he remarked. "Can I ask what the deal is between Asada and yourself?" I could tell he was trying to keep his question devoid of any hostility.

"Right now, we're just friends. I'm really happy when we get to spend time together, so that alone is a better situation than the relationship I just got out of. In the coming months, I hope things go well with Shino because I really care about her and she makes me happy, no matter what the situation may be."

Agil just smiled at me and said, "good man. Now what can I get you?"

"I'll just have a medium house blend, black, please."

"Coming right up, kiddo."

After Agil turned to the coffee pot, I took a moment to look around the café. It was very cozy-looking, just a few wooden tables and chairs, which matched the log-style walls. The walls themselves were covered in different posters and maps from the U.S. since that's where Agil's parents were from. I found myself smiling at how much this tiny café felt like a home away from home, even though my residence in Kawagoe looked nothing like this place.

"Look sharp, your lady-friend is coming up the street there now," Agil teased, succeeding at bringing me back to a present state of mind.

I looked up at him as he began laughing heartily at his own joke. He placed my coffee in front of me and headed into the back room. No sooner had he gone through the doors did I hear the soft jingle of the bell above the entrance. I turned in my seat to see Shino, all wrapped up in a beautiful white coat; a red scarf wrapped snugly around her neck. She had her hair tied up on either side of her face, which did nothing to hide the rosy color of her cheeks. She looked at me, smiling with absolute brilliance as she let the door close behind her and walked towards me.

"Good morning, Kazuto," she said, taking a seat next to me at the bar.

"Good morning, Shino," I replied, finding it in me to smile back as I looked at my bespectacled companion.

"Cold this morning, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I thought my hands were gonna freeze off on the way here," I laughed.

"See, what did I tell you about wearing gloves," she said, clearly taking great pleasure in scolding me.

"I guess I just thought it would be better if I warmed my hands by holding yours," I replied, grinning warily.

What I had said had had the effect I was looking for. Shino's face, having regulated its color by that point, returned to being blush red. "K-K-Kazuto!" she exclaimed, "don't say such embarrassing things! At least, not in public…"

I raised an eyebrow at the tail-end of her remark. "Oh?" I said, "does that mean that you'll let me hold your hands when we're _not_ in public?"

"…idiot," she said, trying to cover up the smile that threatened the corners of her mouth. I loved seeing that look on her face.

Leaning in closer, until our faces were almost pressed together, I said, "don't tell me what you did in ALO last night was because were in the game. You'll hurt my feelings."

Watching her react not only to how close I was, but also to her conflicting emotions was so satisfying. A mischievous grin sneaked across my face and I had to hold back the snicker that was caught in my throat.

"…I swear… one of these days, I'm gonna make you pay for all of your little jokes, Kazuto," she said, leveling her gaze with mine. "You better watch your back, in and out of the virtual world."

Just as I was about to tease her some more, an exaggerated sigh brought an end to our playful banter.

"Now," the surly bartender began, "on to business, if you two lovesick teenagers can handle it, that is." He smirked as we both turned to face him.

"Yes, so what is it that you wanted me to come and visit you for, exactly?" I questioned, trying to piece together what the gift could be in my mind.

"Well, you see Kazuto, I have that gift I mentioned to you last night, and I wanted to make sure you got it before the holidays began; before you went and made plans."

"Oh? What is it then?" I asked.

"Here, see for yourself," he replied, pulling a small package out from underneath the counter. Shifting the package towards me, he asked Shino, "would you like something to drink, Ms. Asada?"

She replied, "I'll just have the same as Kazuto, but with milk and sugar, thanks."

Agil slid a knife towards me before he turned to prepare Shino's coffee. I used it to cut the tape holding the small box closed. Inside it was a surprise, in every sense of the word. I didn't know what to say at all; I stared blankly at it, mouth wide open. Before long, Agil piped up again, saying, "so, what do you think?"

"I-I don't know what to say, are you sure you should be giving these to me?" I gawked, having trouble putting my thoughts into words.

"Dead serious, man. Those are yours for the taking."

Tickets. Tickets for two to go see a special Christmas performance at Yokohama Stadium. I still couldn't believe what I was hearing, nor could Shino, based on the same shocked look on her face.

"I had bought them for my wife and I back in September to go see the show, but as you know, she had to go back to the states to deal with some family business, and she won't be getting back until the day after the show. So, I thought I'd gift them to you; figured you'd be able to enjoy them in my place."

"Seriously man, thank you so much. This is such a fantastic gift, I can assure you they'll be put to good use."

"Don't mention it. I just thought of all the people I knew, you would appreciate them the most. As I'm sure you've put together, the performers were responsible for the musical score in both SAO and ALO."

"It'll be really cool to hear more from them," I agreed. "I'm guessing they'll be doing more than just the Christmas BGM from their scores, right?"

"Mhm, you got it. Those tracks will be mixed in there, but they're bringing in several popular artists to perform a variety of Christmas-themed music. It's supposed a fantastic show; my wife was super bummed she couldn't go when she found out about having to go the states for the holidays."

"It sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun, although I do feel bad that you and your wife couldn't go. Why just give them away? Why not just ask someone to go with you?" I asked.

"See, I thought that too, but I wanted to go more for the chance to spend some time away from the café with my wife, than for the actual performance itself. She just really likes Christmas and the music that is played that time of year, so it was the perfect date opportunity."

"Ahh… I hear ya man. Well, I will certainly have a great time in your place."

"Good," he replied. Smirking, he then asked, "So, you gotta tell me, man. Who you gonna take to the show?"

Before I could even answer, I noticed Shino glaring at me in the corner of my eye. Seeing this as an opportunity to poke fun, I said, "I'm not sure yet, I'll have to think it over." Looking towards the girl sat next to me, I continued, "What do you think, Shino?"

She punched me hard in the arm. "That's not even funny, you big dummy!" She yelled.

I looked back at Agil and we both started laughing.

Pouting, Shino said, "there shouldn't be any doubt in your mind who you're taking."

Smiling, I looked back to her once more. "Of course not. The moment I saw those tickets, I knew that the only person I'd want to be there with me is you."

"Gah, don't say stuff like that in public, Kazuto!" Her attempt at yelling now coming out as a shrill squeak.

I now knew that my winter break was going to be even better with these newfound plans for Christmas.


End file.
